Greg Marshall's tenure as head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders lasted a mere and unremarkable eight games. Less than 24 hours after a 24-18 loss to the Argonauts in Toronto last Thursday - which dropped his club to a CFL-worst 1-7 - Roughrider general manager Brendan Taman informed Marshall his contract was being terminated along with that of offensive co-ordinator Doug Berry. Taking over both roles is Ken Miller, the team's vice-president of football operations, who coached the team the past three years.
Reaction across the country was swift and immediate. Those who supported Marshall, and there are many, felt he simply was the scapegoat for a litany of bad personnel moves over the past six months which cut the heart out of the back-to-back West Division champions.
Others felt Marshall didn't live up to the advance hype and in the short span of two months, completely lost the locker room and was tuned out by his players.
Either way, who in the world would have predicted this at Marshall's introductory news conference in January when it was handshakes and smiles all around? It seemed like such a perfect fit and Marshall looked so at home in green and white with a whistle around his neck.
But what has occurred between then and now has been nothing short of a train wreck, and while Marshall felt he deserved more time, the Riders' brain trust felt a move had to be made now before it's too late.
"We ... I ... really, all of us, became more and more alarmed at the lack of performance of our team on the field," Ken Miller said when making the announcement. "And after eight games, we just weren't playing consistently well. We all know this organization is extremely committed to winning, and winning right now."
With the team on a bye week, there were few players around to discuss the move. However this much is known; there was growing hostility within the locker room regarding Marshall's approach. He wasn't afraid to call out players in the media after games and reportedly didn't hold back in the locker room either. Is it wrong? Not necessarily, but these players weren't used to it and it was becoming clear they weren't going to play for him. You could see it on the field; they were getting worse instead of better.
I expected Marshall to say at his news conference that at 1-7, anything can happen and although he didn't agree with the move, he accepts it. However in his statement he said nothing of the like, and his emotions got the best of him when he took a swipe at management upon his exit.
"I would like to thank those in the organization who showed the confidence in me to give me this opportunity," Marshall said humbly. "However I express my disappointment in how easily you chose to give up on me before I had an opportunity to complete the task you hired me to do.
"I understand that in this business the powers that be have the right to make any decision they choose even if it means taking the easy way out and not the right way."
So now it's onwards and upwards. The Roughriders won't play again until the Labour Day Classic when they host the league-best Winnipeg Blue Bombers. What a spectacle that's going to be! Worst against first, the master (Ken Miller) against the pupil (Paul LaPolice), Swaggerville versus the Rider Nation.
The Rider players got what they wanted so it's put-up or shut-up time. But with Miller's patented inspiration, the team appears to be back on track.
"We have 10 games remaining in this season," Miller said stoically. "Ten games to win football games and go into the playoffs and play strong football. Our goal first of all, is to get into the playoffs, hopefully host a playoff game, play really well, get on a roll and hopefully win a Grey Cup."
There's something about the way he says it that makes you believe it.
(Rod Pedersen is voice of the Riders on 620 CKRM)
